I went into Julie Soto’s The Thrashers with zero expectations. I hadn’t read any of her previous books, but the synopsis sounded interesting enough to give it a go. Well, I ended up finishing it at around 3:30 this morning. White not perfect, it was certainly engaging. Soto knows how to write believable characters, and the story was nicely complex while still feeling plausible. If you enjoy thrillers but YA isn’t typically your thing, fear not. You won’t be disappointed. This a thriller first and foremost, the cast just happens to be on the younger side. I’d like to thank St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of The Thrashers.

The Thrashers by Julie Soto was such a wild ride — easily a 5-star read for me! After loving Forget Me Not, I knew I had to pick this one up, and it absolutely delivered. The pacing is nonstop; I literally could not put it down (I even fell asleep trying to stay up and read “just one more chapter” late into the night).

Some of the twists I saw coming, but others genuinely shocked me in the best way. Even though I didn't finish it in one sitting, I can definitely see this being a book you binge in a day — it’s that addictive. If you love YA thrillers that keep you guessing and flying through the pages, The Thrashers needs to be on your list!

4.5🌟s rounded down!

This was SO good!! Not only can Soto write romance but she can also write a banger of a YA thriller 👏🏼

This cast of morally grey characters is flawed and complex with each of them struggling with their own secrets and pain. It’s the perfect blend of teenage drama, a thrilling mystery, and the supernatural that grips you from the very first page.

This is one that I knew I would likely enjoy, but I wasn’t expecting to enjoy it quite as much as I did—it truly blew me away!! The characters, the writing, the plot, and the suspense were all phenomenal. I had a fantastic time trying to piece everything together.

I feel like we could potentially (hopefully) get a sequel because that epilogue set one up perfectly 👀🤞🏻

I'm going to be honest, I really don't know how I feel about this book. I would describe this as a thriller with magical elements, which I have never read before. I couldn't put the book down, but at the same time something just felt a little wrong the whole time. The story was action packed and had so many twists, but I felt like it was a little too fast paced and big things were just passed over. Please look up trigger warnings for this book. There are very serious issues mentioned in the story, but characters just moved on quickly or never really spoke about how those actions effect others. I did enjoy through how I really didn't know if the things happening were real or had paranormal.

On to the characters, this is a flawed friend group. I found the FMC and her friends unlikable throughout much of the story. Reading in the FMC POV was off putting sometimes because she kept obsessing over the same things and not trying to take the steps to actually do anything. However, I really enjoyed the little romance we got and it was cute seeing it evolve in the story.

I am excited to see where the story goes next because that epilogue made my jaw drop!

What happens when you and your friends are accused of murder? Do you fall apart or stand together? The Thrashers are the "it-group" that everyone want to be a part of, but Jodi doesn't see it that way. They are just all friends. There is no such thing as being "thrashed" in Jodi's mind. Until Emily takes her own life and the group are accused of causing it. Jodi and her friends have to navigate criminal charges and dangerous phenomena that continue to haunt them all. Are they safe from prosecution? Are they safe from Emily haunting them? Soto weaves a tale of suspense and self reflection well.

Don't get Thrashed.
spoiler free review

Jodi is a Thrasher, one of five teens who make up THE friend group at her high school. When one of their other friends ends up dead, loyalties will be questioned and secrets revealed. Can the Thrashers survive, or will one of them be next?

Ok I could not put this book down and promptly devoured it. The characters were immediately intriguing, and the major plot starts right away. I did feel the pacing was nice. The mystery kept the tension ratcheted up throughout the chapters. I did have a few things figured out before the end, but that didn't take anything away from my enjoyment of the story.

The slow burn romance that was building was delicious, I would have loved more of that. The epilogue left me aching for another chapter!

I'll read anything Julie Soto writes, so glad to receive a copy of The Thrashers.

~thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the ARC

wowowowowow!!!! this was my first julie soto book - definitely not my last!! i'm so excited to continue reading her. i absolutely loved these characters, the storyline, the ending??? yes pick this up immediately. i went into this completely blind and had a great time!!!

Julie Soto’s The Thrashers is a gripping and atmospheric YA thriller that masterfully blends psychological suspense, supernatural intrigue, and the complexities of high school dynamics.

Set in the aftermath of Emily Mills’ tragic suicide, the story follows Jodi Dillon, a member of the elite friend group known as the Thrashers. As Jodi begins to unravel the mystery surrounding Emily’s death, she’s forced to confront unsettling truths about her friends—and herself.

Soto’s writing is fast-paced and emotionally resonant, pulling readers into a world where secrets simmer beneath the surface and the paranormal lingers just out of sight. The supernatural elements heighten the tension without overwhelming the real emotional stakes.

Jodi’s character is especially compelling, capturing the turmoil of adolescence, the weight of guilt, and the quest for identity. I was kept on edge with twists and turns that lead to an unforgettable epilogue. Every time I thought I knew what to expect, the plot twisted and had to start from 0 again.

The Thrashers is a standout read—haunting, thrilling, and thought-provoking.
Highly recommended! 5 stars 🌟

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced digital copy - all thoughts and opinions are my own!

YA Thrillers are not my usual genre, so I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book!

The author's writing style kept the story moving along, and I devoured this in one sitting! The characters are a bit cliche, but there is enough mystery surrounding their actions and motives that I was kept intrigued and guessing!

The story is told through the POV of Jodi, kind of the odd-man-out in this clique of rich highschool seniors. Because she feels her position in the friend group is tenuous, she second-guesses all of the goings-on, and we as the readers are in the same boat.

The touch of paranormal mystery kept things creepy and fed the paranoia in the group. The twists were good and the very end was so shocking!

This book was a great read and I'm so glad I gave it a try!

I really think this book could have been super good. As it currently is I didn’t care Nate 50% in to the book I still didn’t care about the mystery and wasn’t. All that invested in what actually happened because the pacing was so slow. There was some implied paranormal activity but they didn’t lean into that It felt like half way done on all aspects.

I've only read JS as a romance author but I think that she knocked it out as a thriller writer as well. I do think that this plot could have been better adjusted to a college age story, but it works pretty well. The multiple plot lines and high school drama are written in an engaging way. I wish there was a little more connective tissue with the "reveals" but as separate storylines they worked really well.

The author did a great job of writing complex characters that you pretty much hate at the beginning but she humanized throughout the story. Even if you don't *love* them, you do get why things are the way they are for a few of the Thrashers. I would love to see her write more in this genre.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: 🔪 Young Adult Thriller
Recommend:✅

“The Trashers” is a perfectly delectable teen drama that I absolutely devoured. It sat in my “to be read” pile for a long time; I was unsure if a Young Adult thriller was for me, but it absolutely was. I’ve read and loved Julie Soto’s adult romances and this left turn was surprising and now we now so worth it!

The title refers to The Trashers, an elite group of students at New Helvetia High named after their unofficial leader, Zach Trasher. When one of their classmates dies on prom night, The Trashers find themselves in the middle of the police investigation and individual secrets get revealed.

The only thing that kept this from being five stars was a tiny bit of a supernatural element that was never fully explained. It was little silly IMO but it didn’t distract me too much. It’s a personal pet peeve of mine when books aren’t fully supernatural or fully based in reality. But, that’s my issue!

You’ll love this book if you love:
✅High School Drama
✅Thrillers
✅Young Adult Vibes

I absolutely love Julie Soto and will read whatever she writes, however, this one fell a bit short for me. I felt like there were too many storylines and subplots going on and nothing fully connected at the end. It kept me reading and intrigued for the most part, but was left with an unsatisfying end. I’d still recommend if you liked Pretty Little Liars, you might enjoy this.

Even though, I have graduated high school almost 15 years ago, I can’t resist reading a YA thriller, especially one involving a rich clique, but The Thrashers is an elevated YA book. One that I think would attract readers of all ages. The Thrashers was my first book that I read by Julie Soto and it wont be my last. The Thrashers follows the story of Jodi, Julian, Lucy, Paige and Zack, better known as The Thrashers the popular clique at New Helvetia high school, following the suicide of Emily Mills who desperately wanted to be a member of the Thrashers. The story is told from the perspective of Jodi Dillion who isn’t the typical Thrasher member; she isn’t rich or as conventionally attractive, but she has been best friends with Zack Thrasher since second grade. When Emily’s journal is discovered and links the Thrashers except Jodi to her suicide, can Jodi uncover the truth. This book had me hooked from the beginning, and almost had me canceling my plans for the day, so I could finish reading in one sitting. The Thrashers does a good job of weaving together teenage drama, mystery thriller, supernatural elements, and a smidge of romance. Julie Soto did such a good job of writing complex characters that I became emotionally invested in them, And after reading the epilogue, I really want there to be a sequel. Thanks NetGalley for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is my first Julie Soto book and I’m eager to read more! The Thrashers is a YA paranormal mystery thriller with some romance sprinkled in. It is thought provoking and explores the intricacies of high school social structures.

The Thrashers are a group of five friends (named after the “head” of the group Zack Thrasher) who everyone wants to be friends with. One particular student, Emily Mills, becomes a bit too obsessed with them. She shows up wherever they are and invites herself along. On prom night Emily commits suicide and leaves behind a journal labeling The Thrashers as bullies, though one of the “kinder” Thrashers, Jodi, suspects some of the details in the journal are not truthful. As the Thrashers are being charged one by one with bullying and intent Jodi is determined to find out the truth. While Jodi is investigating she notices some paranormal activity and wonders if it is Emily. She also gets closer to Julian (another Thrasher) which she did not expect.

I have a total book hangover! I need more. I need more Jodi. I need more Julian. I stayed up late to finish the book and only had four hours of sleep before I had to wake up for work! The Thrasher’s is a quick paced addictive captivating novel.

The epilogue is open ended so I’m not sure if there will be a sequel but I will love if there is one!

Perfect for those who read Karen McManus and Holly Jackson and for fans of Pretty Little Liars.

4.5 stars!! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Releases 05/06/25

Thank you NetGalley, Julie Soto, and Wednesday Books for an eARC on exchange for an honest review.

4-4.5 stars. The Thrashers is a YA thriller about a group of kids called the Thrashers who may have been involved in the suicide of Emily Mills. The main character of the book is Jodi who is best friends with Zach Thrasher and has a rough home life. She is a Thrasher but is less like the other members since she is not rich with high society parents. After Emily Mills tries to be a part of the group, she is found dead from an intentional overdose and the group is suspected of bullying. Strange things start happening to members of the group and they wonder if Emily is getting revenge from beyond the grave.

This book was a wild ride! I would not normally choose YA thrillers but I will read whatever Julie Soto writes. I really could not put this book down. It was entertaining and kept you guessing.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

THE THRASHERS is a coming of age, ghost story, and murder mystery all rolled into one. The Thrashers are the friend group everyone wants to be a part of in fact so much so that some people are dying to get in. THE THRASHERS does a great job keeping the mystery alive and as we get to know the characters further we see they're not all who they pretend to be. Teens will love the mystery (and love story) as Jodi learns who she really is when she's not just a thrasher.

The Thrashers is YA Thriller Gold. Thank you Wednesday Books / St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an eARC early. Once I started reading, I honestly couldn't put it down.

The book is full of twists and turns and WHAT moments that keep you on your toes the entire time. Soto has you rooting for every single main character while questioning if you SHOULD be rooting for them in the first place. All of the friendships showcased the real & complicated nature of growing up and figuring out the complexity of life's choices. I also commend Soto for her inclusion of real life consequences and not glossing over tough topics that are contained within The Thrashers.

If you're a fan of Pretty Little Liars, The Thrashers is a 10/10 must read.

I'm a sucker for young adult thriller and this checked all the boxes. I imagined this as a tv show or movie the whole time.

Dang, this was good!

I finished this in a day going between the audio and the DRC. Something about this story just resonated with me; mostly the characters – at first, my dislike of them which slowly grew to something different for each and then the plot, with all its complexities. I love how Julie integrated real-life tragedy with a low-key supernatural theme.

Right from the start, this story had me invested, told primarily from Jodi’s POV, she gives a unique perspective on what it’s like to be on the inside of the cool group, the Thrashers, but also to be set apart. When a tragedy occurs, we get her POV on the secondary characters and how they change in her eyes. It’s a twisty tale that I never knew quite what to expect and I loved that.

I’m highly recommending this one and forgoing a summary because it’s a good one to go into as blind as possible!

My thanks to St. Martin’s Press and MacMillan Audio for these gifted copies!